"A thousand taels of reward isn’t so easy to claim. You might as well go home and sleep; in dreams, you can have everything."
The crowd that surged forward quickly dispersed.
They came quickly, and they left quickly too.
Some felt deceived and pointed at Jun Ning’s nose, saying, "Whose kid are you anyway, making empty promises? Do I look like someone who enjoys chasing fantasies?"
The attitude was exceedingly vile.
These critical moments were not the time to argue about such attitudes.
Jun Ning wasn’t pretentious. She lifted her small chin, revealing her innate royal dignity as a princess.
The person who had just spoken rudely now seemed like a joke, as a scoundrel, juxtaposed against her magnanimity.
Jun Ning glanced around, saying, "I am the Crown Prince’s sister, Princess Anle."
She paused and continued, "Today, I guarantee as a princess that as long as you help me rescue the Crown Prince, my brother, you will definitely receive the thousand taels of reward."
This princess was not an unknown figure.
Tales about the new favorite of the palace, Princess Anle, were not only rampant in the imperial palace but also among the common people. Over meals, people often discussed this princess disguising as a man and gaining the emperor’s favor.
However, it seemed Princess Anle had run into trouble recently. The Astronomical Bureau had declared her a jinx, and many ministers claimed she needed to be eliminated. She was likely nearing her end.
What is there to impersonate in someone who’s about to lose their life?
Thinking it over, this must indeed be Princess Anle before them.
But, could her words be trusted? Chapters fırst released on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝙣𝙚𝙩
Has something really happened to the Crown Prince requiring help?
Or is she being manipulated, orchestrating this play to achieve some goal?
"If we help her rescue the Crown Prince, can we really get the thousand taels of reward?"
"Isn’t she just trying to gain public sympathy by mentioning the Crown Prince, to draw attention, and make people see her as a good person rather than a jinx, and not be killed because of some words from the Astronomical Bureau?"
"Such heavy thoughts at such a young age, imagine her when she grows up!"
"Hmph, she’ll definitely be a scourge when she grows up."
The crowd sneered as they discussed.
"Why bother weighing it? That’s a thousand taels of reward! If it’s just a matter of helping out, there’s no big loss. But missing out on a thousand taels because of disbelief, that would be a huge loss."
"Regret would haunt one forever."
Different voices emerged from the crowd.
Some, with a try-it-and-see attitude, wanted to give it a shot.
The opportunity was right there; if missed, it would be gone.
Life requires the courage to try new things.
"That gentleman over there is right. If this girl is lying, at most it’s an extra errand, no big loss. But losing out on such a large reward would be significant," said a burly man, patting his chest. "I’ll go."
Someone had already stepped up to rescue the prince.
Once such voices emerged, another followed quickly. Soon, more than a dozen people living on the edge stood out.
More than a dozen people immediately volunteered to go.
These people were prepared; if it turns out to be true, it’s a good deal to rescue someone for money. If it were false, they wouldn’t let it slide; they’d deal with the girl upon returning.
With so many people watching, they weren’t worried about the girl escaping.
Jun Ning understood these people’s mindsets well; she said, "Rest assured, brave souls. As long as you bring the person back, you’ll certainly receive your rightful reward."
Jun Ning informed them of the Crown Prince’s general location, and they went to the rescue.
She herself waited there, patiently.
She believed those individuals would soon bring her brother back.
But the wait felt endlessly long.
Jun Ning sat by the roadside, hugging her small body, waiting. After almost an hour, there was still no sign of them.
Anxiously, she stood and paced back and forth, hoping the Crown Prince would be fine and those rescuers would return soon.
The surrounding people, seeing her anxiety, thought she was scared.
"Look at her, clearly panicking."
"Exactly, those people have been gone so long, they must not have found the Crown Prince in peril. Otherwise, they’d have brought him back already."
"Ha, daring to deceive mercenaries, living on the edge, wielding swords, once they return, they’ll not spare her, no matter who she is. It’s too late for her to panic now."
"Why sympathize with her? She made her bed; if they cut her down, it’s what she deserves."
These Black Market folks were mostly driven by profit, putting interests above everything else, lacking sympathy and mercy.
At this moment, many were here to watch the spectacle.
Not just watching, some even started betting on it.
"Come on, let’s place bets on whether those rescuers managed to bring the person back,"
A middle-aged, pot-bellied man saw a business opportunity in this, clanging a gong to draw the crowd into betting.
"I bet they didn’t rescue him. This little girl is doomed; anyone betting with me?"
Many placed bets, mostly siding with the middle-aged man’s wager. Few believed the so-called Crown Prince would be rescued.
This made Jun Ning appear like a joke, unsupported and unacknowledged by anyone.
With a lot of meaningful glances cast her way, everyone thought Jun Ning was just a kid, mentally weak, about to kneel down and beg for forgiveness, pleading with them to let her go.
Begging them to speak on her behalf to those ruffians as well, in case the Crown Prince wasn’t rescued, not to cut her down.
But Jun Ning disappointed them. She stood up straight, swept a glance around, and strode towards the betting table, taking out all her Silver Coin, roughly a hundred taels of Silver, and some gold leaves.
"I bet they will rescue my brother, the Crown Prince. Anybody joining me?"
After a while, there was still no response from the surrounding crowd.
Just as Jun Ning was about to say never mind, a dirty hand stretched out in front of her, tossing down a copper coin.
"Yes, I’m joining you." It was a skinny, dirty beggar who spoke.
Jun Ning was pleasantly surprised, just about to thank the beggar for trusting her, when the beggar took out another copper coin from his tattered bowl and tossed it to the other side, saying, "I’m joining you all too."
Even beggars had learned to play both sides?